South Korea's Roh slammed for being soft on North

SEOUL, Oct 10 (Reuters) South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun came under heavy criticism today for being too soft on North Korea after it said it had conducted a nuclear test in what one editorial called the country's worst crisis since the Korean War.

Roh, nearing his fourth year in office, has gone out of his way to accommodate Stalinist North Korea through aid, investment and trade. But it is a policy that has rankled with key allies, Japan and the United States, which want a much tougher line to bring North Korea to heel and end its nuclear weapons programme.

''Thoughtless attempts by the (North Korean leader) Kim Jong-il group, indifferent to the fate of the nation, has driven us into the worst emergency since the (1950-53) Korean War,'' the conservative Dong-A Ilbo said in an editorial.

''The nuclear testing by North Korea proves that the...

(pro-North Korea) Sunshine Policy of the government that busied itself covering up for North Korea has failed completely,'' it said.

''It is without doubt that South Korea will have to take part in putting sanctions ... Otherwise, South Korean society can be isolated too.'' The mainstream JoongAng daily, in an editorial accusing Roh's ''incompetence and arrogance'' in allowing North Korea to develop nuclear weapons, said the government had to change tack.

''It needs to change its North Korea policy thoroughly. It should review serious economic cooperation ... including halting business at the Kaesong Industrial Complex and a halt to sending tourists to Kumgang.'' Kaesong and Kumgang are the only areas in the North open to ordinary South Koreans who have been barred from the northern half of the peninsula since the Korean War.

Roh today said that he might have to review his policy of engagement with the North.

REUTERS DH VC0812